83. Telegram From the Ambassador to India (Bowles) to Robert Komer of the National Security Council Staff1
When I left Washington on December 7 I felt we were all agreed on both critical importance of persuading India not to produce nuclear weapons and also on best means of achieving this.
In my meetings with President, Secretary, Mac, Phil, you, etc. I suggested that this could be best accomplished by (A) creating sense of pride on part of Indian Govt and people in their own scientific capacity and as contributing factor, demonstrate to people all over world India’s scientific prowess; (B) encouraging India to take lead not only in condemning China’s disregard of Moscow Treaty but in leading fight against further proliferation; and (C) being alert to any opportunities that might come our way to assure India that if she were blackmailed or attacked by China with or without nuclear weapons, we would not stand on sidelines. Since my return here, I sense that these objectives are not as clear in some peoples’ minds as I assumed them to be.
Indians are still eager to take major role on proliferation issue and as I stressed with no negative reactions in Washington, we should be trying in every way to encourage them. If they will take lead position as non-nuclear country that is easily capable of producing weapons, our interests will be far better served than by teaming up with white nation of four million people with no such nuclear potential or political weight.
In regard to deterrent question and US position in support of India, I do not think we need to do anything at present moment. Indians are aware of President’s Oct 16 statement. However we should be flexible enough to grab any opportunity that comes along, conceivably by some kind of parallel action with Russians.
Purpose of this message is to alert you to opportunities we see here outside flow of traffic through State Dept.
Jerry Wiesner2 can be extraordinarily persuasive in educating such high Indian officials as Shastri, in background discussions with Indian [Page 179] press, in exploring scientific projects on which we can cooperate, in coming up with fresh ideas and on his return home in presenting these ideas to people in Washington.
I know as always that you will give us all help you can.
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, India, Exchanges with Bowles. Confidential. [text not declassified]↩
- On December 21 Bowles discussed with Prime Minister Shastri the possibility of a visit to India by Dr. Jerome Wiesner of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to review the status of Indian science and to discuss with Indian scientists the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Shastri welcomed such a visit. (Telegram 1778 from New Delhi, December 21, 1964; National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, SCI 7 US) On January 12, the Department informed the Embassy in New Delhi that Wiesner had agreed to undertake the mission. The Department anticipated that Wiesner might be influential in helping to strengthen the Indian resolve to limit the Indian nuclear program to peaceful purposes. (Telegram 1393 to New Delhi; ibid.)↩